Manufacture of moccasin shoes



Jan. 9, 1951 R. J. POTVIN 2,537,602

MANUFACTURE OF MOCCASIN SHOES Filed March 26, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan.9, 1951 R. J. POTVIN 2,537,602

MANUFACTURE OF MOCCASIN SHOES Filed March 26, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan.9, 1951 R. J. POTVIN 2,537,602

MANUFACTURE OF MOCCASIN SHOES Filed March 26, 1948 3 Sheets-$heet 3 7"ZIVIIIIIIIIIIIIII flifioz neys Patented Jan. 9, 1951 uurrsu s'rnrssPATENT orri s MANUFACTURE OF MOOCASM SHOES Richard 3. Potvin, Brockton,Mass. Application March 26, 1948, Serial No. 17,16?

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This invention relates to the manufacture of moccasin shoes, andpertains more particularly to improvements in the process of makingleather moccasin shoes of the type frequently worn by infants andchildren.

The principal purpose of the invention is to produce, in a simple,economical and eflicient manner, a shoe or bootee of the moccasin typein which the plug is attached to the forepart of the vamp more neatlyand securely than heretofore and in a fashion to ensure a smooth andsubstantially unwrinkled inner surface which is more comfortable to thewearer.

Another object is to produce a moccasin shoe in which the front portionof the vamp is reinforced by a toe stiiiener or box, thereby ensuringuniformity in the shape of the toe portion of the shoe, regardless ofvariations in the degree of stretch of the leather used in manufacture,as well as avoiding crushing of the shoe at the toe during display orsubsequent wear.

Further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the novelfeatures of the preferred process of manufacture which are hereinafterdescribed in connection with the accompanying drawings and set forth inthe appended claims, and which contribute to the production of a moredurable, comfortable and attractive moccasin shoe, than heretoforeavailable.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a leather blank used in forming the sole, vampand quarter portions of the improved shoe;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the partially formed shoe, showing the blankprovided with a back stay and shaped to a last;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a top assembly comprising a plug and tonguemember, and an attached lining;

Fig. 4 is an edge view of the assembly shown in Fig. 3;

-Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing an outsole applied to theshoe and illustrating the application of the plug to the forepart of thevamp; I

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the finished shoe, showing the plug and itslining stitched to the vamp;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on line I---! of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side view, partly in sectionof a twopart, separable lastpreferably used in making the shoe, the last parts being separated; i

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified blank having atoe stiffener, or box, cemented thereto; 1

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of a shoe made from the blank ofFig. 9; and

Figs. 11 and 12 are transverse and longitudinal 2 sections taken onlines llll and lZ-tt, re-. spectively, of Fig. 1.0.

In accordance with the practice of the invention as illustrated in Figs.1 to 8, a flat blank at of elk or other soft leather is cut or died outto form integral sole, vamp'and quarter portions of the shoe. Theforepart of the vamp portion 22 is marginally skived at 23 andpreferably provided with a series of small perforations 24 to receive apuckering string as hereafter explained. The front margin of the quarterportions 25 are also perforated at 26 to provide lacing apertures.Pointed tabs 21 are preferably formed around the periphery of the skivedmargin 23.

In preparing the blank for lasting, a back stay 28 (Fig. 2 is suitablystitched to the rear margins of the quarter portions and to the rear ofthe sole portion 29 by customary methods; a puckering string 30 isthreaded through the perforations 24 with a lacing needle; and theforepart of the vamp 22 is mulled and softened by dipping it in warmwater or a suitable solution.

A last is then inserted into the formed back part of the blank. As shownin Fig. 8, the last preferably comprises a body part 3| and a cone part32 which are sepa'rably connected in known fashion by pins or dowels 33received in holes or sockets of the cone 32.

The softened vamp part 22 is then pulled over the toe of the last byhand or by the use of a lasting jack, and secured in place by tighteningthe puckering string which forms the tucks or gathers 34 around the toeportion of the vamp.- The taut string is then tied at 35 at the back ofthe partially formed shoe as shown inFig. 2.- The gathers 34 are thenhammered down with a rawhide mallet to flatten the puckered vamp andreduce the irregularities in its bottom surface. The hand lasted shoepreferably remains in this condition for a day to set the shape of thefore-j part.

An outsole 36 of chrome leather, felt or other suitable material, usedalone or in combination, may then be cemented under pressure to thebottom or sole portion of the lasted shoe; but this operation may beperformed just before the shoe is removed from the last, if desired.

The next essential operation is the application of the top piece or plugto the lasted vamp. The top piece preferably comprises a died outleather strip forming the plug proper 3i and the tongue portion 38, anda felt lining piece cemented to the bottomof the tongue 38 and extendingfreely below the plug as shown (Fig. 4). The margin of the lining part40 extends beyond the periphery of the plug 31 (Fig. 3), and said freeportion is folded backwardly under the lined tongue when the plug isapplied to the vamp, as

shown in Fig. 5. Prior to such application, the cone 32 of the dividedlast is removed to afford adequate space for the amxation of the plug;and cement is applied to the bottom of the plug around its margin, andto the exposed margin of the vamp.

The plug is placed in the position shown in Fig. 5 with its curved frontmargin applied to the gathered vamp and its edge extending forwardly ofthe puckering string 30; and the plug margin is pressed onto the vamp tobond the parts together. It will be observed that the plug marginoverlaps the gathered vamp margin to a substantial degree, extendingwell beyond the bases of the pointed tabs 21 and thereby ensuring a firmadhesive bond.

When the cement has set, the puckering string is cut at the rearwardedges of the plug 31, the

g body 31 of the last is removed, and the plug lining 40 is insertedunder the plug and under the vamp margin. The plug and the lining arethen stitched to the gathered vamp in a single opera tion, by a line ofstitching ll. A sewing machine known as a 29K type and commonly used insewing harness, is recommended for this operation.

After the plug and lining have been stitched in place, the outsole 36 ismarginally stitched at 42 (Fig. '7), to complete the shoe.

In accordance with the modified and preferred practice of the inventionas shown in Figs. 9 to 12, a toe stiffener or box piece 5| is a plied tothe forepart of the vamp portion of the blank 2 I, and cemented in placewith elastic cement. The box 5| preferably consists of a strip ofthermopla tic or thermo-setting material of known characteristics, whichmay be softened by heat or by a solvent or activator applied to itssurface, and which hardens on cooling or on evaporation of the solvent.The box is cut in substantially arcuate form, as shown in Fig. 9.

The blank 2| is formed and lasted, after softening the box piece, theplug and its lining are applied and secured, and the shoe is outsoledand finished, all as above described in connection with Figs. 1 to 8,the plug stitching 4| passing through the box 5| as well as through theplug 31 and lining part 40. In order to prevent the softened box fromsticking to the last during the lasting operation, the toe portion ofthe last is preferably coated with a carnauba wax preparation.

By providing the moccasin shoe with a box toe, as just explained. thetoe part of the shoes will present and retain a uniform shape.irrespective of the degree of stretch of the leather used in making theindividual shoes, and the toe will resist crushing or other deformation,thereby enhancing the appearance of the shoes and the comfort of thewearer. Although the use of the toe box or stiffener is particularlyadvantageous in moccasin shoes constructed as herein dis closed, it willbe a parent that the toe stiffener may be incorporated in other types ofmoccasins made from a blank having a sole portion and a vamp portion towhich the stiffener may be cemented prior to lasting.

In both forms of the invention herein described, the vamp forepart isshaped to extend a greater distance over the toe of the last thanheretofore, and the plug covers a greater depth of the lasted vampmargin, so that the plug stitching has a firm engagement with thegathered vamp and holds the skived and hammered gathers thereof inflattened condition to I 4 ensure a relatively smooth inside surface.The thin pointed tabs 21 fit together in lasting the vamp and serve toavoid the formation of a sharp line or ridge at the edge of the lastedvamp. Any irregularities of the inside surface are additionally softenedby the lining 40, the margin of which extends beyond the edge of theplug and hence underlies the gathers of the vamp.

I claim:

1. A method of making a moccasin shoe consisting in forming a blankconstituting sole, vamp and quarter portions of the shoe and having aperforated margin around the forepart of the vamp portion; closing thequarters at the back of the shoe to form a heel pocket; lacing apuckering string through the perforations of said forepart margin;inserting a last into the heel pocket of the partially formed vamp,pulling the vamp forepart over the front of the last, and tightening thepuckering string to gather the margin of said forepart; hammering theforepart margin to flatten the gathers therein; cementing the frontmargin of a plug piece flatwise upon the top of the flattened gathers sothat the plug margin overlaps a substantial portion of the gathered vampmargin; removing the last and stitching through said margins to completethe forepart of the shoe.

2. A method of making a moccasin shoe consisting in forming a blankconstituting sole, vamp and quarter portions of the shoe and having aperforated margin around the forepart of the vamp portion; closing thequarters at the back of the shoe to form a heel pocket; lacing apuckering string through the perforations of said forepart margin;inserting a last into the heel pocket of the partially formed vamp,pulling the vamp forepart over the front of the last. and tightening thepuckering string to gather the margin of said forepart; hammering theforepart margin to flatten the gathers therein; cementing a lining tothe tongue portion of a composite tongue and plug piece so that theforward end portion of the lining freely underlies the plug portionthereof; cementing the front margin of said plug portion fiatwise uponthe top of the flattened gathers while the free portion of the lining isturned rearwardly, with the plug margin overlapping a substantialportion of the gathered vamp margin; removing the last and folding saidfree lining portion under said overlapped margins; and stitching throughsaid overlapped margins and said lining to complete the forepart of theshoe.

RICHARD J. PO'I'VIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date I 910,677 Hanson Jan. 26, 19091,128,902 Rawlings Feb. 16, 1915 1,386,654 Pope Aug. 9, 1921 1,959,892Anderson May 22, 1934 2,086,526 Ashworth July 13, 1937 2,130,794 EnosSept. 20, 1938 2,221,841 Medwick Nov. 19. 1940 2,381,356 Lee Aug. '7,1945 2,412,521 Lee Dec. 10, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date15.332 Great Britain July 29. 1901

